Destination Discourse · 2026-08-06 · 1h 5m
Stuart Butler and Adam Stoker step outside destination marketing to spot the trends reshaping consumer attention right now - and don't even agree on which ones matter most. Adam opens with Reddit, still one of the most under-used channels in marketing. He breaks down how a fitness app built a 16,000-person community by posting like a real Redditor instead of an advertiser, plus stats on how much Reddit shapes purchase decisions and LLM search results. Stuart argues the value equation has flipped: consumers aren't chasing low price, they want affordable indulgence. He points to Taco Bell's "Luxe" value menu and Walmart's new premium-positioned budget line as proof that framing now beats price. Adam makes the case for nostalgia and genealogical travel, especially for millennials starting to feel old and craving connection to their past. Stuart pushes DMOs to ditch age-based targeting for psychographics and life stage, using the non-alcoholic beer brand Athletic as an example of ignoring demographics entirely. Adam explains why low-production, authentic content is outperforming polished hero videos on social - and why budgets need to flip.
94: Are LLM Visibility Audits Total BS? (Emily Zertuche)76 / 10087: Would Your Stakeholders Fight to Keep You If You Disappeared Tomorrow? (Gary Sherwin)78 / 10092: Is Your DMO Chasing Relevance When It Should Be Fighting for Significance?91: Is Your DMO Website Still Just a Listings Page in an AI World? (Will Wright)90: Why Would AI Ever Trust Your DMO's Content?